Electric vacuum cleaner



1942- B. J. TAMARlN 2,292,250

ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 1, 1.941

Inf/616601" fez ward J Tail/11m Patented Aug. 4, 1942 UNITED STATE SPATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEAN EB.

Bernard J. Tamarin, Philadelphia, Pa. Application February 1, 1941,Serial No. 376,969

' 8 Claims. (01. 15-16) The present invention relates to an electricvacuum cleaner, and has for one of'its objects a construction ofelectric vacuum cleaner which is provided with an open end casing havingremovable end caps and supporting thereina bag, a fan, a motor, and anautomatic electric cord take-up device, all of which have a novelrelationship to facilitate the installation thereof, to facilitate theautomatic take up of the electric cord of the motor in the use of thevacuum cleaner, and to automatically reduce to minimum size the electriccord opening in the casing when the blower hose is attached to thecasing.

Another object of the invention resides in the novel construction andoperation of a spring operated automatic take-up device within thelength of the casing, and supported by an end cap of the casing, so thatin the detachment'of the end cap, the automatic take-up device isremoved from the casing.

Another object of the invention resides in associating with the end ofthe blower hose a device whereby the electric cord opening in the casinglowin'g detailed description taken in, conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is' a side elevation of an electric vacuum cleaner;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view As a component part of the vacuumcleaner, and positioned within the length of the casin in alignment withthe cleaning instrumentalities heretofore described, is an automaticspring operated cord take-up structure I0 provided for automaticallywinding the electric cord of the motor structure 9 or allowingthe cordto extend a variable distance beyond the casing l in the use of thevacuum cleaner. This automatic cord structure l0 may be of any suitabledesign but, preferably, has the structural features illustrated in myco-pending application, Serial Number 366,829, filed November 23,1940. 7

The electric cord H wrapped upon the reel'of the automatic take-upstructure passes through an opening l2 inthe side of the casing, and itis I have utilized, in a novel manner, the operation of the usual hoseconnector for operating a shutter i5 positioned to reduce the opening I2to its minimum size. This shutter is provided with .a recess 16 forencircling the cord" H,.and the shutter isslidably supported by guides.H secured. to the interior wall of the'casing l. A

spring l8 normally exerts a pressure to move the vention will be betterunderstood from the fols .Figure 3- is an enlarged sectional view takenon-line 3-3 of Figure- 2; i 1

Figure 4 is a detail sectional-view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3. i

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates an open end casing,the open end portions of which are closed by two end caps 2 and 3. Eachof these end caps may be detachably connected to the casing I in anysuitable manner, such as by sliding fit, screw-threaded engagement, orthe use of additional securing elements.

The cap 2 is provided with an air port 5 and the cap 3 is provided withan air port 6. Arranged in alignment with the ports 5 and 6 andsupported within the casing are the necessary cleaninginstrumentalities, such as a bag structure I, a fan structure 8, and anelectric motor structure 9.

shutter to i a position touncover the opening and, forv the purpose ofmoving the shutter in the opposite direction to close the same with the.

exception of the passage created by the cord accommodating recess I6, anarm 18 is provided which bears directly against theshutter and hasah'ub, 20 slidablymounted on one of the yieldable give to accomplishtheproper adjustv ment of the shutter relative to the electric cord.

Associated with-theplate 22 is a spring 24 that exerts a pressure in adirection to force the platen either against the end of the hose l3 whenthe. latter is inplace, or to force the plate 22 to be positioned withinthe air port 5.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that when the blower hose'isconnected for operation, the

cord opening I2 is automatically reduced to its minimum size so that airwill be'prevented from Of course, it is to be understood that whenthevacuum cleaner is sucking air in through the port 6 in the usualoperation of the vacuum cleaner, it is not necessary to change thenormal size of the opening l2,.andthus the shutter normally remains inan open position to allow the free movement of the electric cord throughthe opening. 7

Particular attention is called to the fact that the automatic cordtake-up structure is supported by the end cap in a manner that when theend cap is removed from the casing, the reel structure is removed withthe cap and supported within the cap. Due to the fact that the cap formsthe sole support for the reel, the cap and reel may be quickly assembledas a unitary structure for connection to and disconnection fromthe'vacuum cleaner casing in close proximity to the motor structure sothat the proper electrical connections can be quickly accomplished.

Due to the open end construction of the casing, the cleaninginstrumentalities may be readily forced into proper position within thecasing, and the caps snapped into place. In view of the fact that thereel structure is connected to. and assembled within, the cap, it is avery easy operation to make the necessary electrical connection with themotor whereby the electric cord of the motor may be extended orautomatically taken up in the use of the vacuum cleaner.

I am aware of the fact that vacuum cleaners have heretofore beenmanufactured incorporating an open end cylindrical casing havingremovable caps and having therein a bag structure, a fan structure, anda motor structure, but I am of the opinion that I am the first toassociate therewith throughout the length of the casing an electric cordtake-up reel with which is associated a shutter device for reducing tominimum size the cord opening in the casing when the vacuum cleaner isfunctioning as a blower.

Of course, it is to be understood that the reel device may be of anysuitable construction, and may be either manually controlled in itsaction or automatic in its action and, further, various forms of shutterdevices may be utilized to vary the size of the cord opening.-Therefore,- Ido not wish to be limited in my invention except as setforth in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising, in

combination: an open end casing; removable caps for the ends of saidcasing; electrically operated cleaning mechanism arranged within thecasing; an electric cord take-up device supported by one of said capsand having its cord passing through an opening in said casing; a hosehaving one end portion detachably connected to the walls of a port insaid casing; and meansactuated by said hose end portion in itsattachment to the casing for reducing said opening to a minimum size.

2. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising, in combination: an open endcasing; removable caps for the ends of said casing; electrically opsaidmotor;

when said closure moved to port opening position.

3. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: an

in one cap and to exhaust air through the port of the other cap; anelectric cord passing through an opening in the casing to supply currentto an electric cord take-up device mounted within the casing for thewithdrawal and retraction of the cord from and into the casing; a hoseadapted to be detachably engaged with the air exhaust port; and a deviceoperated by the connection of the hose with said air exhaust port forreducing the cord opening to a minimum.

erated cleaning mechanism arranged within the said connector forreducing the cord opening to a minimum size in the attachment of thehose with the air port.

5. In' a vacuum cleaner, in combination: a casing having an air port andan electric cord opening; an electric motor within the casing having itselectric cord passing through said opening; a hose connector associatedwith said air port for connecting a hose thereto; a shutter for reducingsaid cord opening to a minimum size; a spring for retracting saidshutter to opening position; and a slidably mounted arm actuated by theconnector for closing the shutter.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, in combination: a casing having an air port andan electric cord opening; an electric motor within the casing having itselectric cord passing through said opening; a hose connector associatedwith said air port for connecting a hose thereto; a shutter for reducingsaid cord opening to a minimum size; a spring for retracting saidshutter to opening position; a slidably mounted arm actuated by theconnector for closing the shutter; and a buffer spring establishing anoperative connec- I hose; a slidably mounted arm; a buffer springestablishing an operative connection between said arm and saidconnector; a shutter for reducing the cord opening to a minimum size andoperated by said arm; guides for said shutter; and a spring.

for retracting the shutter to open position.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, in combination: a casing having an air por andan electric cord opening; an electric cord take-up device mounted in thecasing and having its cord passing through said opening; a hosedetachably connected to said air port; and means for sealing said cordopening and operatively associated with said hose to be automaticallyoperated thereby in the attachment of said hose to the air port.

BERNARD J. TAMARIN.

